This month’s Employee Spotlight features Sarah Leask, Director Membership and Engagement. Sarah re-joined the team in February in a new role. She talks about her role and what the WS Society membership offers. 

You joined in February 2024, what attracted you to work at the WS Society?

Not many people will know this, or realise, but I actually worked for the WS Society many years ago. Although the building remains the same, as does the history of the Society, a great deal has changed.

Since leaving university, I have worked in many roles, all have been customer centric and focused on enriching customer relationships and experiences. My role at the Society of Director, Membership and Engagement utilises my experience of working with professional service accounts during my recruitment career, along with my background of working with and supporting charities. I sincerely believe that building meaningful working relationships with integrity and respect is essential and translates universally.

Something I am passionate about, hopefully everyone is, is equality, diversity and inclusion. We need to ensure that all lawyers who want to become members of the WS Society have the opportunity and access to do so. Once admitted as a member, I hope all members will have a sense of belonging and identification with the Society and fellow members. This sense of community is what I want to build on and use as a significant part of the attraction to joining the Society.

So far, what have been your highlights whilst working for the WS Society?

I have had a busy first (nearly) year, with lots of highlights. I have been so impressed by all the work that goes on behind the scenes to produce the events at the Signet Library. It was really fascinating to work with all my colleagues to support the hosting of the Scottish Global Dialogues Lecture with Martin Griffiths OBE and First Minister John Swinney MSP. Recently it was our Annual Dinner and, again, it was a privilege to work with the executive team and Heritage Portfolio to produce such an exquisite event.

The Diet of Admission ceremonies that we host for our new members are wonderful events, rich in history and tradition. We do offer the option to swear the oath online, albeit that is a more functional experience and I recommend the magic of the in person version.

A new membership benefit which we have introduced, since I joined the Society, is our Special Interest Groups (SIGs). It’s so important that we support our members and offer the opportunity for them to meet one another and share their interests, knowledge, learnings and wisdom. The SIGs have just launched and are proving popular. We hope to grow this initiative, with the support of our members. Seeing the SIGs go from concept to completion has been a real highlight.

We also launched the Spotlight feature and here I am!

Tell us some facts about the WS Society membership benefits, that people might not know

Members are free to work in the West Library by prior arrangement with our Research Principal, James Hamilton. James is on hand in the West Library to provide research support. To have James on hand, with his knowledge and expertise, is an incredible benefit in itself and to have this work space available, in such splendid surroundings, is an added bonus! For members requiring a private space for a meeting or to work, the Commissioners’ Room, Minto Room or Napier Room are available to book. Members of the WS Society are eligible for up to three hours of meeting room hire free of charge per week. There are discounted rates for our much acclaimed CPD events, and members receive a 50% discount on venue hire rates and a 15% discount for Colonnades.

As mentioned, we have introduced Special Interest Groups. This is already proving to be a popular benefit and we want to make this a core privilege of being a member, having access to these group meetings. It’s a great way to meet other members — students, affiliates, associates working and retired WS — where everyone has a perspective and can contribute. We need our members to take the initiative to establish more SIGs, whether it’s in their practice area or sector, or whether it’s an interest outside the law. Meetings can be organised online on Zoom to allow everyone access regardless of location, and the Signet Library is always available as a special venue for an in person meeting from time to time, when suits. Often the library will be able to contribute something relevant to the discussion from its collections in law, literature, history and culture. SIG meetings are open to all members, regardless of qualification or level of knowledge.

The SIGs are by members for members with the Society as the organising nexus. I urge any member with an idea or desire for a SIG to get in touch with me, please. I will make it happen!

Contact

Sarah can be contacted at sleask@wssociety.co.uk.